title: Experiments on autonomous Boolean networks.
abstract: We realize autonomous Boolean networks by using logic gates in their autonomous mode of operation on a field-programmable gate array. This allows us to implement time-continuous systems with complex dynamical behaviors that can be conveniently interconnected into large-scale networks with flexible topologies that consist of time-delay links and a large number of nodes. We demonstrate how we realize networks with periodic, chaotic, and excitable dynamics and study their properties. Field-programmable gate arrays define a new experimental paradigm that holds great potential to test a large body of theoretical results on the dynamics of complex networks, which has been beyond reach of traditional experimental approaches.
authors.affiliation: Duke University, Department of Physics, Science Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Rosin
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rontani
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gauthier
authors.forename: Eckehard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schöll